Bamboo is now heralded as the better material for socks compared to the more traditional cotton and polyester. With its comprehensive list of benefits includes durability, it is easy to understand why there is such a growing demand for bamboo socks. But how do bamboo sock manufacturers make such long-lasting products? What are the secrets to creating the perfect socks for people in all walks of life?
Today, we are going to uncover some of the processes involved in the creation of bamboo socks. Bamboos have always been considered a robust material for construction, and it is amazing to think how well that durability also translates into almost any product created with bamboo. The thing is, not all manufacturers can pull this off. There is a certain science needed to really harness the benefits of bamboo fabric while maintaining its durability. Here’s how.
How Manufacturers Retain Bamboo’s Durability
There are many ways in which bamboo is transformed into something that can be worn. One is the more traditional process that involves a lot of hard labour, resulting in course bamboo fabric used as rags, mats, towels, and many others. This type of manufacturing process produces products that are incredibly durable but are not suitable for everyday wear.
The other manufacturing process, known as “bamboo rayon” is the most common process for creating soft and comfortable bamboo fabric that we all know and love. And for the sake of making this article as comprehensive as possible, we will be discussing this manufacturing process more in-depth.
The process of bamboo sock manufacturing is both delicate and rigorous. One wrong move in any given step can alter the quality of the final product. Manufacturers, therefore, are very careful to follow the following steps.
Harvesting quality bamboo leaves.
Determining the quality of bamboo socks starts right from to how it is grown in the farm. Farms that adheres to organic and eco-friendly practices can harvest more high-quality leaves. These leaves, as well as the inner pith and trunk, are then crushed to break the material down properly.
Processing the leaves.
The crushed bamboo is then soaked in a sodium hydroxide solution kept at 20 to 25°C for about three hours. This process leads to the production of bamboo alkali cellulose, which is then pressed to remove the excess sodium hydroxide. After the pressing procedure, it is then crushed again in an enclosed grinder and left to dry for 24 hours. Carbon disulphide is then added to allow the formation of bamboo jell.
Decompressing the bamboo cellulose.
The jell is then decompressed to get rid of excess carbon disulphide. Sodium hydroxide is added yet again to produce a viscose solution. The bamboo cellulose is almost ready at this stage.
Refining the cellulose into fine threads.
Spinneret nozzles and other counterparts are used to squirt the bamboo cellulose into a sulfuric acid solution, finally turning the bamboo cellulose into workable bamboo threads. These threads are then spun into yarns.
Knitting the yarns into socks.
Once the yarns are ready, the knitting process can then commence. The yarns can be used to knit almost any type of bamboo garment – be it socks, shirts, gloves, and many others.
This kind of manufacturing process used to take out bamboo’s natural anti-bacterial properties. But bamboo sock manufacturers nowadays have since adapted a less potent calibration, resulting in products that are perfectly anti-bacterial and long-lasting.
How the Manufacturing Process Makes Bamboo More Long-Lasting:
You don’t have to wash it as much.
With the process that we mentioned above, bamboo products that require less washing are produced. People who still wear cotton socks are all too familiar with the perils of having to wash their socks multiple times just to get rid of any remaining bad-smelling odour. Good news is you don’t have to struggle as much with bamboo socks, thanks to the fibre’s anti-microbial and breathable properties.
You get more vibrant colours without the added chemicals.
Three out of seven people that wear cotton socks develop rashes and other allergic reactions to the material. This has less to do with the cotton itself, but rather the added chemicals used to make the colours pop more. See, when manufacturers work with cotton, they have to work harder at creating socks with more colour – thus the added dye.
Working with bamboo socks surprisingly requires less dye. Manufacturers have attributed this to the material’s lightweight and durable fabric that can hold dye colours well enough without compromising its wearability and hypoallergenic quality.
You get socks with high abrasion tolerance.
Bamboo fibres are incredibly strong and tensile. They do not buckle under intense wear and tear and pressure. This does not mean that it is completely invincible against years of intensive usage. But it has shown significant durability compared to cotton and polyester alternatives (as long as you don’t lose a pair, of course).
Bamboo fabric also boasts added elasticity that allows it to withstand the rigours of daily use. As a result, wearers of bamboo socks spend less than those who wear other types of socks as they do not have to buy a new one every year or so.
You get socks that are 98% UV-resistant.
Another reason why bamboo socks hold so well under any environment is its ability to veer off UV light by up to 98%. It isn’t a long-held secret that one of the main reasons why other sock types wear down easily is because they are highly vulnerable to UV rays, which effectively break down the fibres and fade the colours with repeated exposure. This is problematic especially for those who still hang their socks under the sun to dry.
Craving for more bamboo sock facts and trivia?
Learning about bamboo products can be very interesting especially if you aim to adapt the use of bamboo products for a more eco-friendly living. After all, switching to bamboo products have been proven to be a cleaner and greener alternative. If you want to learn more about bamboo socks, we have many other articles that can answer your burning questions.
Check out our blog today! And if you like what you see, go ahead and order bamboo socks from our online shop. Choose bamboo products from green bamboo sock manufacturers, like Soles.